Kraft Pulp Processing
EDT’s bio-bleaching products help mills that produce bleached kraft pulps reduce total manufacturing costs. The key lies in EDT’s breakthroughs in the areas of high temperature and high pH-tolerant enzymes.
Though bio-bleaching has existed for many years, most approaches require an acidification and/or a cooling of kraft pulps to enable enzymes to perform their function. EDT’s broad collection of enzymes includes varieties that are suprisingly thermophilic and alkaphilic. As a result, “drop in” enzyme treatments that work across the most desired parts of a mill are rapidly becoming a reality.
As with its other technologies, EDT’s work with a mill begins by thoroughly assessing the tree species being processed, the bleach plant, its engineering, key operating conditions, and the kappa number and brightness profiles throughout the plant. This information provides a starting point for selecting potential raw materials that provide the greatest cost reduction.
All work takes place with actual pulp stock—either what is being used or what the mill desires to use. In addition, the stable cost structure of enzyme manufacturing and the advances in temperature and pH stability of potential raw materials make this an increasingly attractive application, both for existing mills and for new mills under design or construction.